This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. This is a community-based observational study on development of metabolic syndrome (MS) in overweight Native Hawaiian (NH) and Samoan children. The study will be based on the island of Oahu in Hawaii and based at two health centers that serve a high proportion of NH and Samoan patients [unreadable]Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center (WCCHC) and Kokua Kalihi Valley Health Center (KKV). Subjects will be recruited from health centers, community groups near the health centers and clinicians on Oahu. We will study two groups of children at high risk for developing metabolic syndrome: Native Hawaiians and Samoans. + Native Hawaiians have the highest prevalence of obesity and diabetes and the shortest life spans in Hawaii, primarily due to cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes. + Samoans, originally from the Polynesian islands of Samoa, are large framed and have a larger muscle mass for a given BMI. The prevalence of obesity, including severe obesity (Body Mass Index or BMI 40) is among the highest in the world. Specific Aims: 1) To determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in a high-risk population of overweight and "at-risk" for overweight Native Hawaiian and Samoan youth. 2) To examine the pattern of physical and laboratory markers associated with metabolic syndrome in a high-risk population of children. 3) To examine the relationship between maternal gestational diabetes, birth weight, and growth rate in the first 3 years of life with the development of MS Design: Community-based research study in at-risk children recruited from health centers, community groups and clinicians on Oahu. Predictor variables include gender, ethnicity, BMI, waist circumference, birth weight and length, maternal diabetes, maternal obesity, breastfeeding and "rapid growth" in early childhood. Outcome variables include BMI, blood pressure, insulin resistance (calculated), HDL, triglycerides, serum cholesterol, SGPT, SGOT. CRC personnel will be involved in IRB submission, assistance with consent and data collection forms, coordinating the study, assistance with study procedures, and use of CRC lab for specimen storage, data collection, database development, and data analysis.